September is Preparedness Month: This National Preparedness Month Donate Blood, Build a Kit, Make a Plan and Be Informed

September 2, 2011

It’s football season, schools are back in session and temperatures are starting to cool a bit. All indications are that the long hot summer is coming to a welcome close and fall is finally near. One thing all the seasons have in common is that regardless of the date on the calendar, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.

No one can predict where or when the next large disaster will strike, but preparedness steps taken today can save lives and livelihoods tomorrow. People can contact their local Red Cross or visit www.redcross.org to learn what steps they should take to be ready when emergencies strike.

One part of preparedness is a strong blood supply. A Red Cross blood drive sponsored by the Greater Ozarks Chapter will he held on September 8th from 2- 7PM and September 9th from 9AM to 2 PM. The location is the First Baptist Church in Nevada.

It takes each of us doing our part to make sure enough blood is immediately available for patients who need a transfusion. We are hoping everyone will take approximately an hour to visit this important community event.

Blood must be on hospital shelves ready for an accident or trauma victim. It’s also needed for patients at hospitals with scheduled surgeries – from heart surgery to joint replacements, organ transplants or premature babies – cancer treatments and much more. The need for blood and platelets is constant. Hurricane Irene has been an early reminder of the potential for an active hurricane season which can often disrupt blood collections across wide areas and creating blood shortages. We are very mobile and you never know when or where the need for blood might occur.

How to Donate Blood:

All blood types are needed to ensure the Red Cross maintains an adequate blood supply. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Donors must be in general good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old (16 year olds may donate in Missouri with parental consent.) New height and weight restrictions apply to donors younger than 19. Visit redcrossblood.org to learn more.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.